The Spark Jumps Over! – GLYN Sound Brand

How a hobby can influence the choice of career and thus one's own career - as well as the lives of numerous employees, customers and suppliers. The amazing origin story of a very successful company and a perfectly fitting sound logo.

In the mid-1960s, a teenage Welshman is still very fond of chemistry because of his experimental kit. He plans to study the subject and become a chemist. But then he signs up for a Morse course - and that changes everything! He swaps test tubes and liquids for the fascination of electrical signals. He enthusiastically takes part in Morse competitions and quickly wins his first prizes.

Motivated by this, he starts his studies in electrical engineering in Cambridge, which he completes very successfully at the end of the 1960s with the title Bachelor of Science in Engineering with Honours.

Through his hobby, he came into contact with many international like-minded people and was drawn out into the world. At an international electronics distributor, he quickly rises to the position of Intel line manager in Germany.

Dit dit dit, dah dah, dit dit dit - S.O.S. is one of the most famous and important Morse codes - Save Our Souls. It was always close to his heart to help, to give SUPPORT to people and to do something for others.

So, in the early 80's he founded his own company for the distribution of electronic components. This was a time when electronics was taking off. A lot of new things became possible: computers, walkman, video recorders, game consoles, synthesizers for electronic music, etc. A company for the distribution of the then rapidly emerging semiconductor manufacturers.

Questions for Glyn Jones:

How did your first Morse lesson go and what about it encouraged you to pursue your career path?

„I was just excited. Morse code made the transmission of messages over long distances possible in the 19th century - in a standardized language worldwide. As a ham radio operator, I got involved with building transmitters, receivers, antennas and measuring equipment to be able to make connections all over the world. This was the first time I came into contact with electronic components. A very close contact, because I could turn my hobby into my profession. I am still an enthusiastic amateur radio operator. If the telephone, mobile network and Internet don't work one day, we can still communicate well and safely via shortwave.

When you left for your radio contests on weekends, it usually guaranteed rainy and stormy weather. And you often returned home with successes and prizes. Is that why your company is so successful, because it's a solid and safe castle in the electronics distribution business, even in tough weather?

„It was always exciting - who gets the farthest with their Morse message and how? Especially in thunder and lightning, you achieve overreach in sparking if you get it right. It's the same in distribution. Our message is to provide our customers with the best SUPPORT in the distribution market. If you have good contacts, a clear message and secure processes, you will go far. Customers will thank you for your performance and competence with a fair cooperation.“

In addition to its distinctive lettering, the sound logo is also intended to make GLYN acoustically recognizable in the distribution world - What do we get to hear? It's very reminiscent of a Morse code sequence of electronic synthesizer tones.

"The GLYN company was born in 1980. And the 80s also stand musically for successful electronic projects. We have been able to combine in our sound brand the Morse code of the letters "G", "L", "Y" and "N", as well as electronics via synthesizer sounds. A Morse code expert can "read" our company name from the sound mark, so to speak. The idea and origins of GLYN live in this sound sequence. The sound of G-L-Y-N stands for our very special culture. We are the electronics SUPPORT distributor for our customers. And we are the design-in partner for our suppliers."

That's really very interesting and all sounds very coherent, Glyn.
Thank you very much for the interview.

Corporate history set to music

Even today, the strikingly designed Morse Tower above the foyer of his company's main building bears witness to the significant life decision he made in favor of electronics. Perhaps we would have become a chemical company otherwise.

We are talking about Glyn Jones, the founder and company owner of GLYN.

We have set the story of his success to music in our sound logo and brand music. Dah dah dit, dit dah dit dit, dah dit dah dah, dah dit – GLYN!